Verizon Foundation Offers Grant Opportunities To South Carolina Nonprofit Groups

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, is seeking grant proposals in South Carolina for technology development projects.

Nonprofit organizations and educational institutions in South Carolina, especially those communities where Verizon provides service, are invited to apply for competitive grants totaling $38,000.

"Verizon wants to encourage its nonprofit partners to utilize technology to its fullest, both within their organizations and the communities they serve," said Harold Barron, Verizon's director of public affairs in South Carolina. "By promoting the use of the Web, we will help create online communities that enhance cooperation among nonprofits, community leaders and corporate citizens. Verizon has invested billions of dollars in the region's telecommunications infrastructure and cares deeply about the communities it serves."

Verizon is seeking proposals that support the efforts of the nonprofit communities to upgrade and integrate new technologies for organizational effectiveness.

Proposals must be submitted through Verizon Foundation's Web site, www.verizon.com/foundation, no later than June 30, 2003. Individual grants will range from $2,000 to $5,000.

To qualify for funding, applicants must be public or private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with a valid Internal Revenue Service tax ID. Schools must have a current National Center for Education Statistics school and district registration to qualify.

Nonprofit organizations may also submit applications for "eTraining" grants for staff training in a variety of computer programs. In addition, organizations may apply for "eGrants," which provide $240 toward first-time Internet access for nonprofits.

Verizon Foundation is committed to helping people and communities make progress every day. The foundation supports a variety of programs that focus on improving basic and computer literacy, bridging the digital divide, enriching communities through technology and creating a skilled work force. The foundation promotes partnerships in technology with organizations serving the needs of diverse communities, people with disabilities, and the economically and socially disadvantaged. The foundation also supports Verizon Volunteers, an incentive program that encourages Verizon employees to volunteer in their communities and provides matching gifts to nonprofit organizations. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizon.com/foundation.

A Fortune 10 company, Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with 136.6 million access line equivalents and
33.3 million Verizon Wireless customers. Verizon is the third-largest long-distance carrier for U.S. consumers, with 13.2 million long-distance lines, and the company is also the largest directory publisher in the world, as measured by directory titles and circulation. With approximately $67 billion in annual revenues and 227,000 employees, Verizon's global presence extends to the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.

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